The Next Step Is The Hardest

At a restaurant across from Scappoose High, Anderson settled into a side table and talked about the mistake he can't forget, that Week 16 pass against the Bengals. It was early in the third quarter, and the Browns trailed 19--0 with third-and-seven at the Cincinnati 20. Edwards ran a post-corner route, sprinting on a diagonal to the goalpost, then cutting to the corner of the end zone. Anderson was supposed to wait for Edwards to come open, but when the corner went in front of the receiver, Anderson, instead of giving Edwards one more split second to get free, checked down and threw to Joe Jurevicius at the nine. That was enough for a first down, but Edwards, who ended up running free in the end zone, was miffed.

"Next play I threw an interception in the back of the end zone," Anderson said. "Instead of throwing the TD and we're back in it, we're still way down. I kill myself for that throw to this day."

The following week against the 49ers, Savage wrote this note to himself as he watched Anderson in the Browns' last game of the season: 3's a little shaky, not as confident. The five games in December came down like a hammer on Anderson, who had a 53.1% completion rate, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions that month. Though it appears the players and coaches and front office are very happy to have their passer back this year, Anderson has to overcome that mediocre December and finish the season strong to convince people he's a long-term, winning NFL quarterback. "Last year we just came out swinging and established an identity," Edwards said of the offense. "This is the year we see if Derek makes the passes under pressure and on Monday Night Football ."

It's only Cleveland's season that rides on Anderson. "We've got to validate what we did last year," he says. "I've got to play football the way I know how. I can't play timid."

JULY 23
BEREA

"FELLAS, YOU haven't done anything yet," Crennel told his players at the start of training camp. "You haven't won a division. You haven't made the playoffs. Before you buy into all this hype about how great you are, just remember this: You've got five national-TV games this year. If you fail, they'll tear you down faster than they've built you up."

Twenty-five hundred fans showed up for the first workout. Four minutes in, a chant arose that told the Browns all they needed to know about those fans' expectations: "Su-per Bowl! Su-per Bowl!"

"This could be a special year," said former NFL great Jim Brown, 72, a team adviser, who watched practice from a golf cart. "I love this team. I love being back here to share the adventure."

The first reviews were upbeat. Rogers weighed in at 359 and spent part of the afternoon practice overpowering the middle of the offensive line. Williams, at left end, showed more quickness in pads than the coaches thought he had. Wimbley, whom Tucker had been working with, exploded off the line. Anderson's primary weapons—Edwards, Stallworth, Lewis, tight end Kellen Winslow—were all together for only the second day since the 2007 season ended, and Winslow, angling for a new contract, looked fast and powerful coming off the line as a tight end or a slot receiver.

At dinner that night Savage was beaming. "When camp opened three years ago I put on a happy face but knew we'd get our teeth kicked in," he said. "Two years ago the big free agent we signed, LeCharles Bentley, went down for the year on the first play of training camp, and it was like pulling a piece of thread on a cheap suit. Last year it was the drumbeat of whether Romeo would [last through the season as coach]. This year what I'm concerned about is not getting our players hurt before our first game. We can compete."